Tools for Optimizing Emotional & Mental Wellness

Last weekend I met an inspiring woman from Canada, Katherine Gibson, who has written a book on how our Personal Clutter blocks our physical, mental and emotional lives. Katherine graciously agreed to let me share some of her ideas with you. I hope you enjoy her insights.

Dorothy Ashma & the staff of Bloomsburg Psychological Center, LLC

1. Purge - Pull everything off a shelf or out of a drawer and only put back what you will actually use.


2. Plan - Ask yourself when you last used/wore an item and what the likelihood is of using it in the next year.


3. Simplify - If you are holding on to things "just in case" remember you can always buy another one if you really need it.


4. Be Generous - Pass along books, clothes, and other "stuff" to people who need them. The things you are finished with can bring new options to others.


5. Organize - Don't go out and buy lots of containers. This will just give you organized "stuff". With fewer possessions, organization is much easier.


6. 10-Minute Toss - Spend just 10-minutes a day sorting and tossing. Or get rid of 10 items each day. It adds up quickly.


7. Underschedule - Unclutter you appointment book and slow down your hectic pace. Give yourself more time to enjoy your uncluttered home.


8. Live in the Present - Most of our hoarding focuses on what we "want to have" or "fear we will need to have" in the future.


9. Finish What You Start - Clutter grows with each project we begin. Project piles indicate that we need to resist starting more than one at a time.


10. Choose Positive People in Your Life - Eliminate the clutter of other people's negative comments and judgements from your environment.


11. Do What You Love - Possessions that have meaning are not clutter. They bring a smile to our heart when we interact with them.


12. Do It Now - The hardest part is getting started. Select one item to get rid of right now.

Need extra support?
Our area is well supplied with Free Support Groups and Services that can get you connected with other people in similar situations. Our website contains a list of all of the free groups we have heard of. If you know of any that we have missed, please call us at 570-387-1832 and give us the information. Although we confirm the information with each group once a year, we suggest checking with the contact number to make sure the time or location of the meeting has not changed

10 Minute Relaxations

Finding Your Way Back to Calm: Tools and Music for Releasing Physical and Emotional Stress

This CD contains six simple tools for helping you release physical and emotional stress, as well as three beautifully written instrumental tracks of relaxation music. Each tool follows a slightly different path. After you experience each one, you will be able to choose the right tool for each day. Stress card included.